Wheel and axle assembly



WHEEL AND AXLE ASSEMBLY Filed oct. 18, 1933 2 shams-'sheet 2 5 5] y r im l 174 Ill:

Patented Feb. 23,1937

UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ica WHEEL AND AXLE ASSEMBLY Claims.

This invention pertains to anti-friction bearings, and more particularly to the yapplication of anti-friction bearings to railway wheel and axle assemblies.

In roller bearings of the type to be herein described it is found that in operation the rollers have a tendency to move outwardly of the assembly. In order to counteract this movement and in order to take end thrust on the roller bearing assemblies, a thrust shoulder is provided on one or the other of the racerings to accommodate thrust between the racerings and the rollers. Also, in order to provide for the proper contact between the rollers and the raes, they must be proportioned so that the cooperating surfaces between the thrust shoulder and the rollers are properly curved.

An object of this invention is to relieve the rollers of the weight of the retainer and therefore avoid the undesired friction of the load carrying parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel and axle assembly having anti-friction bearings wherein structure is provided to properly space the rollers, yet permitting free rolling operation of the anti-frictionvmembers.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide anti-friction bearings wherein a spacing member, while movedby a portionof the assembly, still permits free operation of the anti-friction members.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an anti-friction bearing assembly wherein relative movements of portions of the assembly are permitted, but free operation of the antifriction members is insured.

A further object is to provide a roller bearing assembly wherein cooperating thrust surfaces are provided on the rollers and races, making a true thrust contact between the races and the rollers. l

A different object of the invention is to provide a wheel and axle assembly wherein portions of the anti-friction bearings are formed of 'antifriction metal which will prevent relatively movs able parts from freezing, and will prevent exces- Application October 18, 1933, Serial No. 694,620

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation through a wheel and axle assembly showing the application thereto of one form of anti-friction bearings embodying the invention; and

Figures 2 to 6 inclusive, are enlarged fragmentary sectional elevations through modifled forms of anti-friction bearings embodying the invention.

'Ihis application is a continuation-impart of application Serial No. 528,548, filed April 8, 1931.

Referring first of all more particularly to Figure '1, the inner normally non-rotatable axle I0 is provided with a bearing receiving portion I2 on which the cone I4 of an anti-friction bearing assembly is mounted, the axle being provided with a shoulder I6 against which, or adjacent which, the cone is disposed, depending on the particular application of the bearings. The cone is maintained in operative position by means of a shrink collar I8, and the inner axle is provided with an outwardly extending bearing portion adapted to have cooperative relation with the usual brasses and wedges in the standard A. R. A. journal box. It is of course to be understood that the axle I0 may be associated with any form of journal box, or in direct cooperation witha portion of the side :frame of a truck, and may be wholly fixed, floating or semi-floating, and niay or may not have vertical or lateral, or other movement with' respect to the adjacent truck frame.

The outer 'casing or revoluble axle 22 is provided with a. flared portion 24 forming a lubricant recess 26,/ the axle terminating in a wheel hub portion 28 on which a wheel 36 is mounted,'the wheel being limited in its inward position on the hub portion by means of the shoulder 32. The lubricant recess terminates in a bearing recess 34 in which the cup 36 is mounted, the recess being closed by means of the cover plate 38 secured in position on the casing by means of the bolts 40, the cover plate being provided with an inwardly extending portion 4I which may serve to position the cup. The cover plate is provided with a lubri- 'cant conducting channel 42 and baille means 44 rollers 52. The cone is provided with interrupted portions 5I and 53 for preventing stress concentrations at the ends of the rollers when there is relative movement transversely of the I'bearing assembly as when the inner axle is deflected.

'Ihe cup is formed with a cooperating curved element 54 contacting the rollers throughout their bearing length, and the cup is provided with a thrust shoulder 56 disposed at the outer end of the assembly. The roller cage4 58 is provided with the outwardly extending flange 60 having guiding cooperating engagement with the thrust shoulder 56 whereby it is guided to run concentrically of the assembly. 'Ihe lroller is placed at an angle with the center line 62 of the axle around which it revolves and is proportioned so that the lines 64 and 66 drawn tangent to the roller surface at or adjacent the middle portion converge at one point in the center line 62 of the bearing or inner v axle, and also on the center line 68 of the individual rollers. The large or outer end 10,0f the- 'I'he center of the.

ing the end of the roller may be used to form the contacting surface of the thrust shoulder 56. The bearing elements of the cup and cone are formed on radii 16 disposed respectively on lines 11 and 18 normal to the tangents 66 and 64, the length of the radii being determined by the intersection of the normal 11 with the center line 62.

Referring now to the construction shown in Figure 2, an anti-friction bearing assembly is shown provided with two courses of roller and cage assemblies. In this bearing the outer race 80 has a spherical bearing cooperating surface 82 on which the rollers 84 of the courses 86 and 88 contact. Each roller is provided with bearing surfaces formed of spherical or convexed elements contacting substantially throughout their bearing length with the. bearing surface 82. The cone 90 is provided with spaced concaved bearing surfaces 92 and 94 opposing the cup and having guiding flanges 96 and 98 contacting the outer ends and I 02 of the rollers. Separate cages |04 and |06 are provided formed to be rotated with the cup. The outer ends of the rollers. as well as the cooperating surfaces of the guiding flanges 96 and 98 are portions of spherical surfaces, thereby providing a true surface contact to eillciently guide the roller. For practical manufacturing purposes these small spherical surfaces of the flanges may be formed conically of such shape that the elements of the cone are tangent to the spherical surfaces of the rollers. In this case the normal 99 to the tangent |0| at the mldpoint of the inner course of rollers intersects the center line |03 of the assembly and determines radius |05, and radius |01 equal to radius |05 is struck from the normal |09 to tangent III. Tangents |0| and intersect in the center line |03 and determine the radius ||3 forming the spherical ends of the rollers in the inner course.

The outer course is similar.

In Figure 3 the cone |0815 provided with a spherical bearing surface |0 on which is mounted a plurality of courses of bearings ||2 and I4, the

roller bearing members ||6 of each course being provided with bearing surfaces contacting the spherical surface Il substantially throughout the length of the bearing surface of the rollers'. The

cup ||8 is provided with spaced bearing surfaces |20 and |2| vhaving cooperative relation with the bearing surfaces of the rollers substantially throughout the length thereof, and the cup is provided with thrust shoulders |22 and |24 cooperating `with each course of bearings ||2 and ||4 respectively for guiding relation therewith. Each course of bearings is provided with a cage |26|28 having cooperative relation with the thrust shoulders ofthe cup for imparting rotary movement to the cage. The end surfaces |30 and |32 of the rollers are of spherical shape formed as in the case of the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2. The cooperating surfaces on the thrust shoulders are cooperating spherical surfaces, though they may be formed of conical shape, as in the case of Figures 1 and 2. It Will/be noticed that the radius |23 of the cone bearing surface is at the intersection of the bearing center line |25 and the normal |21 to the center point of the outer course of bearings, tangentsv |29 and I3| and center line |33 determining at their intersection with center line |25 the radius of the end bearing surfaces |30 (and |32 similarly). Radius |35 equal to radius |23 is in the normal |31 to tangent I3| In Figure 4, the cup |34 is provided with a spherical bearing surface |36 having cooperative relation with the bearing surfaces of the barrel shaped anti-friction bearings |38, there being a slight lift at the ends thereof. The cone |40 is provided with a bearing surface |42 having cooperative relation With the rollers |38 substantially throughout their bearing length. 'Ihe rollers are provided with a cage |44 having a portion cooperating with the cup whereby the cage is urged to rotate therewith. The cone is provided with a thrust shoulder |46 having a spherical bearing surface |48 cooperating with a corresponding spherical surface |50 provided on the large ends of the rollers, the spherical surface being generated in the same manner as has been described with respect to the other modifications, and the bearing surface of the thrust shoulder being susceptible of conical shape as has already been described. In this case the radius |4| is determined by the intersection of bearing center line |43 and the normal'l45 to tangent |41. 'Ihe radius of the surface |42 and of the elements of Ithe rollers is less than radius |4|, and is on normal |49 to tangent |5|, normals |45 and |49 intersecting on the roller center line |53.

In the form of bearing illustrated in Figure 5 the rollers |52 are of frusto-conical shape cooperating with a bearing surface |54 of the cup |56, the bearing surface |54 being made up of straight line elements. The large ends of the rollers are provided with spherical surfaces |58 generated in the manner as has already been described vand cooperating with th'e spherical or conical surface |60 provided on the shoulder |62 of the cup. The rollers are provided with the cage |64 urgedto rotary movement by means of cooperation between the flange |66 and the shoulder |62. The bearing surface of the rollers |52 has cooperative relation with the bearing surface |66 of the outer section |10 of the two-part cone. The bearing surface |68 is formed of. straight line elements. 'I'h'e inner surface |12 of the outer section |10 is of spherical shape, the radius |1| being struck from bearing center line |13, and has cooperative relation with a corresponding surface on the inner section |14 of the two-part cone, so that with' this construction the roller bearings may oscillate with respect to the inner axle, and with respect to the inner section |14. Relative movement of rotation of the parts `|10f and |14 is limited by providing one or more lugs, such as |14n ony part |14 which may interlock or engage with one orl more lugs such as |10*l on part of the inner racering. In order to prevent the two parts of the cone from wearing excessively, or from freezing, one of the parts, for example the inner portion |14, may be constructed of anti-friction metal such as brass, bronze, manganese bronze, or Monel metal. As am example of these metals the following is given:

Bronze Percent Alloy of copper 88.5 Tin. 11 Impuri'ties .5

100 2 Mone: metal Percent Alloy of nickel I 67 Copper f 28 Various metal impurities 5 100 Manganese bronze l Percent Alloy of copper 68.5

Aluminum -f 4V Tin 22 Iron v 2.5 Manganese 3 As wear also occurs between the cages and the rollers, the cages in the construction illustrated in Figure 5, as Well as in the other constructions,

may also be formed bf vanti-frictionmetal.

The construction shownin Figure 6 is similar to that shown in Figure 4 in every particular except that the Vcage |16 is supportlngly mounted on thecone, being provided witha flanged portion |18 disposed adjacent the bearing surface of the cone so that upon deflection of the inner axle the cage will move with the rollers.

It is to be understood that we do not lwish to be limited bythe exact embodiments of the device no shown, which are merely by Way of illustration and not limitation,A as various and other forms of the device will ofcourse be apparent to those skilled, in the art without departing from the spirit of the inventionor the scope of the claims.

We claim:

l. In a roller bearing assembly, the combination of an inner and-outer racering, rollers disposed therebetween, the inner of said racerings comprising relatively, movable members, the conau tact surfaces between said last-named members being spherical, th'e outer racering having a thrust shoulder thereon, said rollers having a spherical surface thereon cooperating with said thrust shoulder.`

o5 2. An anti-friction bearing comprising radially spaced race members,'the outermost of said members having a thrust shoulder, a plurality of rollers between 'said members and cooperating with said thrustshoulder, the inner race member 70 comprising relatively movable parts.

3. An anti-friction bearing comprising radially spaced race members, the outermost of said members having a thrust shoulder, a. plurality of rollers between said members and cooperating with said thrust shoulder, the inner race member comprising relatively movable parts having spherical contact surfaces.

4. An anti-frictionbearing comprising radially spaced race members,`the outermost of said members having a thrust shoulder, a plurality of rollers between said members, said rollers and thrust shoulder having cooperative spherical surfaces,

the inner race member comprising relatively movable parts.

5. An anti-friction bearing comprising radially spaced race members, the outermost of said members having a thrust shoulder, a plurality of rollers .between said members, said rollers and thrust shoulder having cooperative spherical surfaces, the inn'er race member comprising relatively movable parts having spherical contact surfaces.

6. In a roller bearing assembly, the combination of an inner and outer racering, rollers disp posed therebetween, the inner of said racerings comprising relatively movable members, the contact surfaces between said last-named members being spherical, the outer racering having a thrust shoulder thereon, said rollers having a spherical surface thereon cooperating with said thrust shoulderI said movable members having means limiting the relative movement of rotation therebetween.

7. An anti-friction bearing comprising radially spaced race members, the outermost of said membersy having a thrust shoulder, a plurality of rollers between said members and cooperating with said thrust shoulder, the inner race member ers between said members, said rollers and thrust shoulder having cooperative spherical surfaces,

the inner race member comprising relatively Y movable parts, said movable parts having means limiting the relative movement of rotation there-l between.

10. An anti-friction bearing comprising radially spaced race members, the outermost of said members having a thrust shoulder, a plurality of rollers between said members, said rollers and thrust shoulder having cooperative spherical surfaces, the inner race member comprising relatively movable parts' having spherical contact surfaces, said movable parts having means limiting the relative movement of rotationtherebetween.

ALFRED H.- OELKERS. FRED E. Bacini/IAN. 

